Nelly Korda has blown people away in the sports world—and beyond—with her mind-blowing run. This weekend, the 25-year-old pro golfer just won the Mizuho Americas Open, marking her sixth LPGA victory in seven starts.
Cheering her on from the sidelines are her parents, Petr Korda and Regina Rajchrtová, who also happen to be pretty impressive tennis stars. Not only that, Nelly has two siblings, Jessica and Sebastian, who are pro athletes, too. Basically, the Kordas are one of the biggest sports families out there right now. But who is the couple who started this all? Here’s what you need to know about Nelly Korda’s parents.
Nelly Korda’s father Petr was a big name on the professional tennis circuit back in the 80s and 90s. He turned pro in 1987, and reached his career high rank of No.2—in the entire world—in 1998, according to his Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) bio. He ended up winning 10 titles during his career, including the 1998 Australian Open. (He was a runner-up during the 1992 French Open.) Petr, who is from Czechoslovakia, also nabbed a cool $10.5 million in career earnings along the way.
Nelly Korda’s mom Regina Rajchrtová was also a tennis star. She competed for Czechoslovakia in the Olympics in 1988, where she finished 33rd. Regina’s career high ranking on the pro circuit was a respectable No.26, according to the WTA. Regina, who is also from Czechoslovakia, received $353,866 in prize money over the course of her career, ultimately retiring in 1993.
Speaking of being a sports family, Nelly has two siblings: an older sister named Jessica and younger brother named Sebastian. And, to no one’s surprise, they’re also pro athletes!
Jessica is a LPGA golfer like Nelly. She hasn’t competed this season after welcoming her son Greyson John DelPrete with husband Johnny DelPrete in early 2024. But she’s won six titles and 44 other top-10 results over her 14-year professional career, according to the league.
Sebastian is a pro tennis player, just like his parents. He turned pro in 2018 and is currently ranked No. 28, winning $5,273,063 over the course of his six-year career, according to the ATP. He even made a breakout run for the Australian Open in 2023, beating pros like Daniil Medvedev before losing in the quarter-finals.
Nelly’s dad Petr helped coach her golf game growing up, and always encouraged her to be better. “When I used to play against my dad when I was younger, he would always try to piss me off because he always said that I step it up a notch when I’m pissed,” she told the LPGA in 2021.
Nelly Korda joked that her dad is a “smart ass,” because he would bet on their matches. “[They] were always so close, and I would always pay,” she added. “He would always try to tick me off. It worked a lot.” Now, the two still play golf together, most recently competing in the PNC Championship in December 2023, where they tied for 13th place.
Nelly’s family is really tight-knit, especially when it comes to supporting one another in their respective sports. “It’s been awesome,” Jessica told LPGA in 2020 of watching their family flourish.
Nelly Korda also shared that her best memory on the golf course came from seeing her sister succeed. “Nothing like seeing [my siblings] succeed,” she added.
